Authors: Ali Shimkus
Sundance Film Festival: Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind
“Come inside my mind,” says Robin Williams, in his own distinctive voice as the film opens with a scene from a different time—an interview where Williams uses an impromptu performance as the answer to a question about whether he can think faster than most people. … read more
Sundance Film Festival: Our New President
Before the screening, director Maxim Pozdorovkin jokingly warned that his film, Our New President, had so much archival Russian propaganda footage that it was probably not safe for human consumption in one sitting, saying, “You’re not going to feel good at the end of this.” … read more
Sundance Film Review: Hale County This Morning, This Evening
Director RaMell Ross described the loosely developed plot of Hale County This Morning, This Evening, as an “anti-narrative.” The film is a series of beautiful scenes of Hale County, Alabama, and seems to be a love letter to the people there, specifically the black community. … read more
Sundance Film Review: Kailash
Kailash is a World Documentary selection that covers many horrors of child labor and the fight against it. Kailash Satyarthi is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient for his work of fighting against child labor around the world. … read more
Sundance Film Review: The Death of Stalin
It’s difficult to imagine humor in the midst of bleak, Soviet-era Russia during and directly after Stalin’s demise, but writer/ director Armando Iannucci seems to have found the way to effectively normalize and satirize the horrific events in Sundance film The Death of Stalin. … read more
Slamdance Film Review: Mexman
Germán Alonso’s main project is Mexman, an idea Alonso first worked on for his senior thesis at USC. It’s a crazy story—one about a Mexican immigrant who comes to America for a better future, who then dies unexpectedly and is subsequently turned into a “cyborg slave.” … read more
Slamdance Film Review: Lovers
With the gorgeous backdrop of Copenhagen, Denmark, Lovers explores the inner workings of three people at different stages of their respective love lives, in an almost episodic sequence. … read more
Slamdance Film Review: Fake Tattoos
Opening with a confusion of racing cars and yelling to a black background, the first actual scene of Le Faux Tatouages is of brooding, angry teen Théo (Anthony Therrien) wearing a Dead Kennedys T-shirt, being carded at a convenience store while buying his first pack of beer on his 18th birthday (the scene is set in Montreal). … read more
Sustainable Filmmaking: Slamdance Polytechnic
Slamdance Polytechnic promises to provide resources, practical information and learning opportunities together around the Slamdance Film Festival—giving those who are interested in the art of filmmaking a chance to go beyond simply viewing independent films at the festival and one step closer to successfully creating their own. … read more
Taking the Hard Road: Sugar House Distillery
For four years, Sugar House Distillery has been steadily making an impact on Utah liquor, focusing on the quality of their product and honing their craft. … read more
Utah’s Haunting History: Jennifer Jones of The Dead History
The Dead History focuses on the factual evidence that Jones digs up through her research, but does not discredit the ghost stories behind these reputable locations and people. … read more
Bamboo Revolution: Daniel Wagner and NaturePonics
Daniel Wagner’s goal for NaturePonics is to revolutionize the way we grow and source our food. This means eradicating practices that destroy the environment. … read more
